UK shoppers warned over spread of harmful and illegal skin lightening kits
The Guardian World
by Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondentFebruary 18, 2026
Many products contain substances banned because of serious and sometimes irreversible health risks, says CTSI
Illegal skin lightening products are being sold in an increasingly wide range of UK outlets, including butchers, specialist food shops and small grocery stores, trading standards officers have warned.
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning that many of the products contain substances that are banned because of the serious risks they pose to health, including skin damage, infections and pregnancy complications.
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Originally published on The Guardian World on 2/18/2026